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Netherlands and Canada bring torture case against Syria at UN’s top court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

THE HAGUE (AP) — The Netherlands and Canada jointly filed a complaint against Syria on Monday before the United Nations’ highest judicial body, alleging the regime of Bashar Assad has tortured thousands of civilians, in violation of a U.N. convention. The pair say Syria has “committed countless violations of international law” and want the International Court of Justice to issue provisional measures ordering Damascus to halt an alleged widespread torture program against anyone opposed to the government during the country’s long-running civil war.The Dutch first announced three years ago a plan to hold Syria accountable for what it called “horrific crimes,” asking Assad’s government via diplomatic note to enter into negotiations under the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Canada joined the process in 2021. The 1984 treaty requires parties to enter into mediation before bringing the dispute to The Hague-based court...

Supreme Court won’t review North Carolina’s decision to nix license plates with Confederate flag

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it won’t review North Carolina’s decision to stop issuing specialty license plates with the Confederate flag.As is typical, the court did not comment in declining to hear the case, which challenged the state’s decision. The dispute was one of many the court said Monday it would not hear. It was similar to a case originating in Texas that the court heard in 2015, when it ruled the license plates are state property.The current dispute stems from North Carolina’s 2021 decision to stop issuing specialty license plates bearing the insignia of the North Carolina chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The chapter sued, claiming that the state’s decision violated state and federal law. A lower court dismissed the case, and a federal appeals court agreed with that decision.North Carolina offers three standard license plates and more than 200 specialty plates. Civic clubs including the Sons of Confederate Vete...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of June 18-24

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

Celebrity birthdays for the week of June 18-24June 18: Musician Paul McCartney is 81. Actor Constance McCashin (“Knots Landing”) is 76. Actor Linda Thorson (“The Avengers”) is 76. Actor Carol Kane is 71. Actor Isabella Rossellini is 71. Actor Brian Benben (“Private Practice,” “Dream On”) is 67. Actor Andrea Evans (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 66. Singer Alison Moyet is 62. Keyboardist Dizzy Reed (Guns N’ Roses) is 60. Country singer-guitarist Tim Hunt (Yankee Grey) is 56. Singer Nathan Morris of Boyz II Men is 52. Singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne is 50. Rapper Silkk The Shocker is 48. Actor Alana de la Garza (“Law and Order”) is 47. Country singer Blake Shelton is 47. Guitarist Steven Chen of Airborne Toxic Event is 45. Actor David Giuntoli (“Grimm”) is 43. Drummer Josh Dun of Twenty One Pilots is 35. Actor-singer Renee Olstead (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Still Standing”) is 34. Actor Jacob Anderson (“Game of Thrones”) is 33. Actor Willa Holland (“Arrow”) is 32...

Trump tops DeSantis by 38 points in new poll after news of indictment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

(The Hill) - Former President Trump topped his closest Republican challenger by nearly 40 points in a new poll of likely GOP voters following the news of his federal indictment. The CBS News and YouGov poll found that 61 percent of likely GOP voters would vote for Trump in the 2024 Republican primary. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) trailed in second-place, garnering 23 percent of the vote. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and former Vice President Mike Pence each received four percent of the vote while presidential candidate Nikki Haley received 3 percent of the vote. When asked what candidates they would consider voting for right now, 75 percent of likely GOP respondents said they would consider Trump and 51 percent said they would consider DeSantis. Twenty-one percent of voters said they would consider Scott, 16 percent said they would consider Pence and 15 percent said they would consider Haley. Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy received 13 percent of the vote, while former New Jersey...

With enough lifeguards, all public pools now open in City of Austin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the summer starts off with a heatwave, public pools are popular places to cool down.Starting on Monday, all 32 operational pools opened for the season in the City of Austin.This marks the first time since 2019 that the city has opened all its public pools.According to the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, there are 712 lifeguards staffed while many more are in training.“We're really hoping to have around 850 lifeguards this summer,” City of Austin aquatic supervisor Aaron Levine said. “We have training classes going on each week.”Last summer, less than half of the city’s pools opened at the beginning of June because of a lifeguard shortage.This year, PARD has seen a significant surge in applications. During the month of May, the department received 35% of their total applications for the entire year.Levine said much of this can be credited to the city’s summer employee bonus program, aimed at attracting applicants for various part-time positions. MORE: Aus...

National High School BBQ Championship coming to Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Teams from around the country will be in Hutto, Texas this weekend preparing their rubs, sauces, and meat ahead of the National High School Barbecue Championship. PREVIOUS: Local high school students compete in state BBQ championship Next Monday, the cooking will begin with pork chops, skirt steak, chicken, ribs, and pork butt.The competition runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 19 at Texas State Technical College. National High School BBQ Championship Director Mike Erickson talked with KXAN about how this started, and what to expect. Tom Miller: What is the National High School Barbecue Championship?Mike Erickson: It started as a group of educators, and it's high schools, teachers and schools from all over the state of Texas, and now we have it in Missouri and Florida. The kids are competing for scholarships and trophies, and it's the top high school barbecue teams in America.Tom: This started out in Burnet years ago. How is it developed?Mike: I was a teacher at Ver...

Long commutes after I-95 collapse in Philadelphia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

PHILADELPHIA — Drivers began longer commutes Monday after an elevated section of Interstate 95 collapsed in Philadelphia a day earlier following damage caused by a tanker truck carrying flammable cargo catching fire.Sunday’s fire closed a heavily traveled segment of the East Coast’s main north-south highway indefinitely. Newscasts warned of traffic nightmares and gave advice on detours, urging drivers to take more time to travel.“This is really going to have a ripple effect throughout the region,” AAA spokesperson Jana Tidwell said Monday. She advised people to avoid peak travel times.Tidwell also anticipated that drivers will incur additional costs — “more gasoline, more wear and tear on their cars, additional tolls, in terms of leaving Pennsylvania into New Jersey and then back into Pennsylvania.”The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said it was operating three extra morning and late afternoon trains on its Trenton, New Jersey, line, and adding capacity to regular...

Broadview Federal Credit Union debit cards experiencing trouble

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- According to an online statement from Broadview Federal Credit Union, some members are having issues going to use their debit cards. Broadview says they are aware of the issue and are working to resolve it. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Stick with News10 for updates regarding the ongoing debit card issue.

NE-YO, Robin Thicke, Mario to perform at SPAC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Monday, three-time Grammy winner NE-YO announced his "Champagne and Roses Tour" with special guests Robin Thicke and Mario. The tour will come to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Thursday, September 14. Presale tickets will be available starting Tuesday, and general on sale starting Friday online. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! R&B singer, songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur NE-YO is a three-time Grammy winner who's had three albums chart at number one on SoundScan's Top Current Albums. NE-YO is known for his charting songs such as "Because of You," "She Knows," "So Sick," and "Time of Our Lives." He has film and television credits including NBC's Word of Dance, Netflix's Dance Monsters, Empire, Stomp the Yard, and more. He most recently released his eighth full-length album "Self Explanatory."Robin Thicke is a five-time Grammy winner whose 2013 album "Blurred Lines" ...

De-risking: Alternative stratégique ou multiplication de risques ?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:19:37 GMT

En moins de deux mois, le mot « de-risking » est devenu viral dans la sphère géopolitique. Passé de l’anonymat à l’omniprésence, et approuvé lors d’un sommet du G7, il est considéré comme une inflexion majeure dans la manière dont l’Europe définit les défis posés par la Chine. Un débat qui est pourtant loin de faire consensus, écrit Yi Da (Observateur des relations internationales et sino-européennes).Pour y voir clair, il est essentiel de comprendre l’enjeu qui sous-tend ce nouveau terme et d’en avoir une vision juste.Le spectre de la méfiance derrière le « de-risking »Quand on parle de « de-risking », on fait a priori allusion à la dépendance économique de l’Europe par rapport à la Chine, une situation préoccupante aux yeux des Européens, qui s’engagent désormais à rendre leurs chaînes d’approvisionnement plus résilientes. Un choix bien compréhensible, mais à relativiser tout de même.En effet, un rapport européen montre que moins de 1% des importations européen...